When is the best time to plant autumn potatoes in the north?

Autumn potato planting time in the north

Northern autumn potatoes prefer cool weather and do not like high temperature environments. It is most suitable to control the temperature at 15℃-20℃ during the growth and tuber formation period. Especially in some areas in the north, the climate changes significantly after autumn, and the temperature begins to drop to around 20℃. You can consider starting to plant potatoes in late August.

How to plant autumn potatoes in the north

1. Soil selection

Choose neutral or slightly acidic sandy loam or loam with deep and fertile tillage layer, loose texture, convenient irrigation and drainage, and far away from pollution. It is not advisable to choose fields where the previous crop was Solanaceae crops, such as tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, etc.

2. Seed potato processing

Northern autumn potatoes are suitable for sowing as a whole potato without cutting. Each potato weighs 20g to 50g, is free of diseases and pests, and has 2 to 3 buds. After the seed potatoes are cut into pieces, mix them with methyl thiophanate or wood ash.

3. Planting seeds

When sowing, place the seed potatoes directly in the soil, cover them with fine soil after sowing, with a thickness of 3 to 5 cm. Do a good job of moisture conservation, prevent waterlogging, and frequently cultivate and weed.

Key points for planting autumn potatoes in the north

1. Water and fertilizer management

When fertilizing autumn potatoes in the north, mainly use organic fertilizers and chemical fertilizers. Low-chloride fertilizers can also be used. Generally, 1000 to 1500 kg of fully decomposed farmyard manure or 800 to 1000 kg of commercial organic fertilizer are applied per mu, plus 50 to 100 kg of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer.

2. Pest and disease control

The main diseases and pests of autumn potatoes in the north are late blight, scab, aphids, etc., which can be effectively controlled by using pesticides 2 to 3 times.